Method of decarbonizing internal-combustion engines.



lit)

WILLIAM E. AHERN, OF WESTFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS.

METHOD OF DECARBONIZING- INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES.

No Drawing.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM E. AHERN, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, residing at Westfield, in the county of Hampden and State ofMassachusetts, have invented a new and useful Method of DecarbonizingInternal-Combustion Engines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in methods of removing carbondeposits from the cylinders, combustion-chambers, piston heads, valveheads, piston-rings, etc., of internal-combustionengines, and consistsin introducing into the engine combustionchamber and cylinder, while thelatter are hot, a refrigerating liquid, that is, a. liquid which givesup its latent heat rapidly, when subjected to the agitation ofvaporization, and so causing to be broken up and finely disintegratedthe carbon deposits, by. reason of the physical action of said liquid onthe carbon, as hereinafter more fully set forth.

The refrigerating liquid shatters the hotv carbon, when brought into.contact therewith, just as most solids are shattered when in aheatedstate and suddenly subjected to extreme cold in the form ofliquid, the action produced when cold water is poured on a hot plate ofglass being somewhat analogous.

It is a well known fact that one of the principal diflicultiesencountered in the operation of the internal-combustion engine is due tothe accumulations of carbon or carbonaceous deposits on the interior ofthe walls of the cylinder or cylinders and combustion-chamber or-chambers, on the head or heads of the pistons and valves, and on otherparts, of the engine, such deposits be ing very hard and flintlike, andpresenting an uneven or granular surface with some portions considerablyelevated above sur-- rounding portions. These deposits and es peciallythe more elevated portions thereof become heated to such a degree thatthe incoming charges of explosive mixture are prematurely ignited andcaused to explode, with the result that the engine is caused to giveforth a sound commonly termed a knock,

and the even, constant, and efficient operation of the engine ismaterially affected in adeleterious manner, to say nothing of theconsequent excessive wear and tear.

The primary pbject of my invention is to eliminate the hereinbeforementioned difiiculty by providing a method whereby all Specification ofLetters Patent.

Application filed April 21, 1915.

Patented Nov. to, 1915.

Serial No. 22,835.

desired, since there is nothing about the treatment to prohibit orinterfere with the immediate use of the engine upon the discontinuanceof the treatment, that is, the discontinuance of the introduction of theliquid. The treatment as a whole may not 7 and generally will not be atan end when the IIItI'OdJlCtlOII of the liquid ceases, inasmuch as thedisintegrating process continues as long as any carbon remains and whilethere is liquidto act thereon, but the treatment so far as the operatoris concernedmay be said to end upon the discontinuance of theintroduction of said liquid. The ability to discontinue the treatment atany time and then to use the engine is an advantage of great importancewhen engines are involved which are liable to be needed at any moment,as those used for fire apparatus for example.

Another object is to provide a decarborizing method in the carrying outof which no changes of adjustments of accessory parts of the engine arenecessary, and no parts need" be removed.

Still another object is to provide a decar bonizing method that isabsolutely harmless, being incapable of injuring either the operator orthe'engine.

The treatment is usually applied while the engine is in operation sothat all foul parts can be reached by the liquid and the latter will bedriven into or against such parts. the whole of the disintegrated masswill be forced out with the waste gases, by the exhausting devices ofthe engine, and themporization and consequent cooling of the liquid willbe promoted. When the engine is permitted to run, every particle of thedisintegrated matter is removed therefrom. The carbon deposits arereduced by this treatment to such a state or condition of fineness thatthe removal of the same by the exhaust of the engine causes no injury tothe valves and valve-seats.

Heretofore various methods have been resorted to for getting rid of thecarbon in engines, such as burning it out by means of a jet of oxygenand a lighted match, applying a so-called carbon solvent solution (therereally being no solvent for carbon) to the carbon for a predeterminedperiod, or disassembling and scraping the parts, but neither in thesemethods nor any other prior method is the physical law involved in mymethod made use of, nor is it possible to attain the same results.

The method in detail consists in introducing, through the air-intake ofthe carbureter, or through any convenient opening in the tube leadingfrom the carbureter to the engine-cylinder or cylinders, into saidcylinder or cylinders and combustion-chamber or combustion chambers,while such members are hot and the engine is in operation, arefrigerating liquid which is immediately vaporized and cooled andshatters the carbon deposits as soon as said liquid contacts with saiddeposits, and in exhausting the disintegrate'd matter. Stated in otherwords, the method consists in suddenly contracting and so shattering thecarbon deposits, by applying thereto while they are in a heated state aliquid the temperature of which is low, and in removing by exhaustionthe shattered particles. Since the refrigerating liquid 15 introducedintothe compression space in the engine, it is possible that all ,of thecarbon may not have left such space by the time the operator ceases topour in said liquid, but if the engine be left in operation for a fewminutes the residue will very quickly disappears T U Ammonia becomesvery cold when agitated, wherefore it is a good liquid to employ inconnection with my method, but should be mixed with Water in theproportions of about eighty per cent. (80%) water and twenty per cent.(20%) ammonia. Ammonia is also a valuable agent in this method for thereason that it is noncombustible as well as being a rapidly coolingliquid when subjected to the agitation of vaporization. A combustible orinflammable liquid would not be practical, as will readily beunderstood.

I do not desire or intend to be restricted or confined to the use ofammonia and water, but reserve the right to employ any other suitableagent or medium, also to modify the treatment or method in some mattersof detail, Without, of course, exceeding the scope of my claims.

The amount of liquid necessary, and the time required in any given casewherein the and from ten to thirty minutes is the time required. Afteran engine has been thoroughly cleared of carbon by my method, it mav bekept so by repeating the treatment at more or less frequent intervals, alittle of the liquid being introduced from time to time to bring aboutthe desired result.

\Vhat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is-

l. A method of decarbonizing internalcombustion engines, consisting insubjecting the carbon deposits, while in a heated state, to the physicalaction of a non-combustible refrigerating liquid, and in removing theresultant.

2. method, of decarbonizing internal combustion engines, consisting insubjecting the carbon deposits, while in a heated state, to the phvsicalaction of a non-combustible refri erating liquid, and in exhaustin theresultant.

3. A method, of decarbonizing internalcombustion engines, consisting incontracting and shattering the carbon deposits, by subjecting suchdeposits, when hot, to the action of a non-combustible cold liquid.

4. A method, of decarbonizing internalcombusticn engines, consisting incontracting and disintegrating the carbon deposits, by applying to suchdeposits, while hot, a non-combustible liquid which becomes cold whensubjected to the agitation of vaporization.

5. A method, of decarbonizing internalcombustion engines, consisting incontract ing and disintegrating the carbon deposits, by subjecting suchdeposits, while hot, to the action of a non-combustible cold liquid, andin exhausting the disintegrated matter.

6. A method, of decarbonizing internalcombustion engines, consisting inintroducing into the chambered parts of an engine, wherein and whereoncarbon deposits are present, while said engine is in operation and saidparts are in a non-combustible heated state, a refrigerating liquid,-andin utilizing the exhaust of said engine in freeing said parts from thematter disintegrated by the action of said liquid on said deposits.

. WILLIAM E. AHERN. Witnesses:

F. A. CUTTER, Roscoe R. Moon's.

